Miliband’s Clean Power 2030 Greatest Hits

Exploring the impact of the Clean Power 2030 plan through the medium of song.

Introduction

I was going to write an article about Ed Miliband’s plan for Clean Power by 2030. But most of it is simply regurgitating the contents of NESO’s plan published last month that we took apart here. The biggest change seems to be spending £40bn per year from 2025 to 2030, somewhat less than NESO’s estimate of £44-48bn per year. Miliband’s plan will also deliver slightly less renewables capacity than indicated in NESO’s Further Flex scenario.

As it’s nearly Christmas I thought we might emulate Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers who have launched a popular track “Freezing This Christmas”. In a more light-hearted approach instead of detailed analysis, we explore the impact of Ed’s plan through the medium of song. Here is my Top-10 list of songs (plus some bonus tracks) that describe to Clean Power 2030 plan.

Top-10 Tracks for Clean Power 2030

10. “Kill The Poor” by the Dead Kennedys

Highlighting the impact of Ed’s policies on the poorest in society. Analysts have shown that 4,000 pensioners could die due to the removal of the Winter Fuel Allowance. Many more non-pensioners could die because they lack the means to pay extortionate electricity prices.

9. “Wait for the Blackout” by The Damned

It seems the punks from the late 1970’s and early 80’s really did understand where we were heading, even then. As we remove dispatchable power sources and rely more on interconnectors, the risk of blackouts is increasing.

8. “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits

This song is also for all those wind farms receiving curtailment payments for not producing electricity we do not need.

7. “In the Cold, Cold Night” by the White Stripes

With restricted power use, we are all going to be cold in the night.

6. “Turn Up the Sun” by Oasis

We will all be wishing for more sun to power all those solar panels Miliband wants to install.

5. “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen

Because dancing in the dark is all we will be able to do when the lights go out.

4. “Money, Money, Money” by ABBA

We are going to pay enormous amounts of money for Ed’s plan, but we get nothing in return, because domestic electricity consumption is planned to fall. But renewables companies will be rolling in money supporters after they have collected the subsidies we pay for through our bills.

3. “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse

The future is going to be very dark in both senses of the word.

2. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John

We might all be praying for the sun to go down on Miliband’s career, but in the meantime we shall have to hope the sun does not go down on our solar panels.

1. “Windmills of Your Mind” by Noel Harrison

We shall never know what is going on inside the windmills of Ed Miliband’s mind.

Bonus Tracks

Once you start thinking about it, there are many tracks that could have made it into the Top10. Here’s a few I rejected, but I just had to find a way to fit them in. Please enjoy the bonus tracks too.

Bonus 1. “They’re coming to take me away, Ha-Haaa!” by Napoleon XIV

The race is on to see who will get Ed Miliband sectioned first. Will it be Wes Streeting who has identified Miliband as the weak spot in the Cabinet or a public spirited constituent?

Bonus 2. “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan

Of course, this is Miliband’s favourite track as he was filmed playing his ukelele by a wind turbine.

Bonus 3. “Idiot Wind” by Bob Dylan

But this is probably a more appropriate Bob Dylan track. When we have dunkelflaute conditions, like recently, we will all be cursing the idiot wind and the idiot energy minister who though we could run a country on zephyrs and sunbeams.

Bonus 4. “Ain’t no sunshine” by Bill Withers

Of course, we get very little sun in winter, so why does Miliband think it’s a good idea to triple solar capacity by 2030?

Bonus 5. “Waitin’ for the Wind” by Spooky Tooth

Bonus 6. “Waiting for the Wind to Come” by AaRON

Of course, we’re all going to be waiting for the wind.

Bonus 7. “Waiting for the Sun” by The Doors

And the sun.

Bonus 8. “Baby It’s Cold Outside Inside” by Dean Martin

Of course, without adequate cheap electricity, we are all going to be cold inside when it’s cold outside.

Bonus 9. “Gone with the Wind” by Ella Fitzgerald

Of course, we all hope Miliband’s plans will be blown away by the harsh wind of reality.

Bonus 10. “The Man Who Sold the World” by David Bowie

Of course, Miliband is selling us all out with his bonkers plan.

Bonus 11. “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band

Or should that be the Ed Windy MiliBand? There’s certainly some people making a run for it with our money.

Bonus 12. “Little Lies” by Fleetwood Mac

Except of course, the whole renewables narrative plan is based on very big lies.

The whole playlist can be found here:

Merry Christmas everyone. Next week we will see how Labour’s promise of zero-carbon electricity will send our bills to infinity and beyond.

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This Substack now has well over 3,000 subscribers. This growing interest has led to me being invited to give a talk to Sacred Cows on 28th January in London entitled “Net Zero: Why the cure is worse than the climate change disease”. More details and ticket details can be found here, do come along if you can make it

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